Automatic control for windmills



A Q I 1,627,990 May 10 1927. I R 4 NOLAN- AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR wmnumns 'Fil'edSBDt. 15. 1925 Patented May 10, 1927.

l,627,99li

PATRICK J. NOLAN, OF

ALLIANCE, NEBRASKA.

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR WINDMILLS.

Application filed September This invention relates to a device which may be conveniently referred to as an automatic control for a wind mill.

It has particular reference, in one instance, to a part functioning as a weight, this being suspended from the free end of a lever on the wind mill derrick and in connection with an operating cable.

An object of the invention is to construct the said weight or weight member in the form of a container for water and to provide it with a valve and drain device so that the valve will be opened under predetermined conditions to permit escape of the water.

More specifically, it an object to construct said member in the term of a tank, providing the same at its bottom with an opening with which a control valve cooperates, there being a float chamber beneath this valved opening and this float chamber being provided with a drain hole.

A further object is to connect a flexible operating cord or element to a valve in said container and to connect a float to the opposite end of this cord, the float being located in a main water tank so that when the water in the tank recedes below a predetermined level, the float will operate said cord to control and open said valve.

A further object of the invention is to locate the valved water receiving container on one side of the tank adjacent the top and to provide an overflow pipe at this point, the discharge end of which is associated with the container for filling it with water, when the water in the main tank reaches a predetermined height.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which lik numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same Figure 1 is a side view ot a main water supply tank, and a lower portion of a wind mill showing the control means therei'or.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional and elevational view of the control device.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference character 1 designates the main water supply tank which is filled by the customary wind mill operated pump (not shown). Disposed adjacent to this tank is the wind mill derrick or frame, represented 15, 1925. Serial No. 56,497.

by the reference character 2. Pivotally mounted on the frame work at one end is a lever 3 for controlling an operating cable 4. leading to the brake structure (not shown), of the wind mill.

Depending from the outer free end of the lever 3 is a flexible element 5 which carries the control device or weight member 6. The connection of this element with the device is more plainly shown in Fig. 2. Referring to this figure, it will be seen that the device comprises a container 7 having a water intake opening 8 in its top and a water discharge opening at itsbottom. Mounted on the bottom and interior of the container is a valve guide or stop device 9. A. valve stem 10 extends through this and is provided at lower end with a ball valve 11 cooperable with the discharge opening in the bottom of the container. Formed upon said bottom is cup 12 having a drain hole 13 formed therein. On the interior of this cup is an upstanding annular band 14 forming a guide for a float 15. This float is l'ormed with a central offset operating pin 16 adapted to engage the ball valve 11. It will be noted that the guide l l'is formed at its point of connection with the bottom of the cup with openings to permit water collecting in the cthamber to get beneath the float to elevate 1 Disposed in the main water-tank is another float 17 which is connected to'one end of a pull cord 18. This cord is trained over pulleys 19 mounted on a bracket 20 on the top of one wall of the tank. The portion 21 of the cord depends into the interior of the container and is connected at its lower end with a valve stem 10. It is yet to be pointed out that an angular water pipe 22 constituting an overflow is connected with the wall of the main tank and has its depending discharge end extending through the opening in the top of the container 7 when the latter is in its elevated position.

llloreover, the container 7 operates in confining guides 23.

i The operation of the device is as follows Assuming that the main tank is being filled with water, it will be seen that the water will rise therein until the level becomes suliiciently high to cause the Water to overflow through the pipe 22. As the wind mill is in operation at this time, the control lever 3 is in the upwardly inclined position shown in Fig. 1, and the container Ill 7 receives the discharge end of the overflow pipe and the overflow of water fills the container, water being prevented from escaping from container 7' by the closed ball valve 11. This renders the container comparatively heavy and it thus is converted into a weight which is sufliceint to.

thereon, opens the valve 1 1, and allows the water to flow from the container into the cup 1 2' and to drain out through the hole 131 The water filling the cup gets beneath the float 15, li t-s the latter up, and brings the pin 16'- into engagement with the ball valve- Il and holds the valve open, thus allowingthe container to be completely drained of water and relievingit of the Weight that it previously had. At this time the device 7 will be raised by upward pull exerted on the lever 3' and will permit the windmill to operate again for replenishing' the supply in tank 1.

The cup 12 is provided with a minute drain opening 15*, Figure 2, and is also provided with stoppins 16" to limit the downward movement of the float 15. From this it follows that Water will drain out otthecup 12, and hence when the container 7 is drawn up to start the pump, the float 15 will gravitate. to the positon shown in Figure 2 and will not interfere with the seating, of the valve 11 and the retention of water by said valve 11 in the container 7 By considering the description and drawings, persons familiar with devices of this class will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the same. Therefore a more lengthy description isthought unnecessary.

Minor changes coming, within the field of the invention claimed may be resorted to if? desired.

Having thus described my invention,.what I claim as new is:

The combination in means for the pure pose described,. of a hollow container provided at its top: with an opening and at its bottom with a discharge opening and also provided with a guide on said bottom, a ball. valve cooperable' with said discharge opening and having an upwardly extending stem movable in said guide, an operating member connected with said stem and ex,- tending upwardly through the opening; in the top ot' the container, a suspension' element connected with said top,v a cupconnected with and pendent from the bottom of said container and provided with a drain hole, a float guided: for vertical rectilinear movement in said cup, and apin extends inn: upwardly from said float and adapted following rising of the float to hold the ball valve'oli its seat.

In testimony whereof I- a'llix my signature.

PATRICK J NOLAN. 

